Without warning to the wolfpack crew, several heavy High Explosive shells shattered on the stern of the Yamato. Thankfully none of the shells managed to catch anything important, but the carbon scoring from the explosions painted the wooden deck black while also taking out anyone caught out by an 18.1 inch battleship shell salvo.
"Enemy contact to the rear!" The radar operator yelled to the 'Commander'.
"What?! Who got behind us?!" The "Commander' yelled.
"Spotters indicate… it's Musashi." The Radar man reported.
"Impossible. She was locked down. Who is behind us, damn it?" The 'Commander' demanded.
"The Spotters swear it's the Musashi. Shall we hail them to confirm?" The radar man asked.
The 'Commander' thought for a moment.
"No. They fired on us. Swing the rear turret around and fire upon that vessel. If it is Musashi, she'll sink by her sister's hand." The 'Commander' growled as he took the radio receiver to issue his orders.
The 'Commander' reached down, after issuing his orders, and grabbed Yamato's hair.
"Wake up, you stupid bitch. I want you to watch as we kill your sister. I want you to know that your guns will be the reason your sister sinks." The 'Commander' spoke as he slapped Yamato's face repeatedly. Yamato did not awake.
"Did you kill her?!" The radar man asked, his tone holding a small amount of fear.
"No. She's still breathing. She just isn't waking up. That's fine… I got something to wake her up." The 'Commander' said with an evil smile as he pulled out a handgun from it's holster.
"Sir… I wouldn't do that… if for some reason we lose… both of her sisters are here, they'll rip you to shreds." The radar man said.
"I don't care. We have Lord Tester on our side. We will not lose. She will guide us to victory." The 'Commander' said as he fired a round into Yamato's leg. This broke the Radar man's will.
"No." The radar man spoke up as he stood.
"What was that?" The 'Commander' asked as he swung the handgun around.
"I will not be a part of this anymore. How are we in the right when this is the shit we do? Those planes earlier… they were from a Japanese carrier. And considering that they avoided hitting her, it must be her sister, Shinano. The one we thought was lost in Tokyo Bay. She is already here. Those blips ahead of us have already begun moving to surround us…." The radar man said up until another shot rang out on the bridge. The radar man looked down at his chest, seeing a red spot rapidly spreading throughout his clothes.
"I will not tolerate mutiny, scum. You turned your back on the truth. You have forsaken our saviors. Your life, which was spared by the Sirens, was wasted in your futile attempt to protect the scourge of this planet. You were nothing more than scum with a dream. Now die." The 'Commander' said as he fired another round into the radar man's head, killing him instantly.
"Attention. Someone report to the bridge to man the radar." The 'Commander' demanded as he turned to see an unconscious Yamato slowly bleeding from a hole in her foot.
"You made me kill one of my men, bitch." The 'Commander' growled as he drove his boot down on Yamato's bloody foot.
Yamato winced a bit.
"Aunt Yamato?" Yume asked.
"I must be being beaten again… that… animal has no remorse." Yamato spoke as she felt the pain, even in her dreams.
Yume's ears dropped.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Yamato… I can't move to help. My vessel has been locked down. Norfolk and Eldridge have both placed towing lines on my hull after what I did." Yume said softly.
"What you did? What did you do?" Yamato asked as she tried to ignore the pain.
"Aunt Yamato said the hooded guys were bad. So I attacked some of them." Yume said.
"But you've been in here the entire time!" Yamato gasped.
"I'm like mommy. I can use my vessel, even when I'm asleep." Yume said with a soft smile.
"You're a carrier, you said, right?" Yamato asked.
Yume nodded.
"How did you attack them? Do you have planes? You seem to be really young." Yamato said.
Yume shook her head.
"I have special AA guns. Daddy doesn't really understand them, but Miss Enterprise has them too." Yume said.
"Enterprise?" Yamato asked, seeming to search her memories.
"Yeah. She's really powerful too. She's almost on par with Mommy." Yume said.
"Enterprise is really powerful. You're not wrong about that." Yamato admitted.
"Does Aunt Yamato know Miss Enterprise?" Yume asked.
Yamato shook her head.
"No. But I know that Enterprise was part of the task force that sunk me back during the war." Yamato said as she rubbed Yume's ears.
Yume looked at Yamato.
"Please don't be mad at Miss Enterprise. She's really friendly." Yume said.
Yamato chuckled a bit.
"I hold no hard feelings for her. She beat me fair and square." Yamato said as she brought her tails around to cuddle Yume.
Yume giggled as she was engulfed by the soft black fur of Yamato's tails.
"Aunt Yamato, that tickles!" Yume said as Yamato smiled.
"To think I'd see this kind of joy after the torture I've endured. It's as if I have awoken from a bad dream." Yamato said softly as she laid back, prompting Yume to crawl over and lay next to her.
"We've managed to make it to the Philippines. Kaga, my love, throw out a call to the Admiral." Perkins said as Kaga and Iowa sailed into the island chain.
"Honey, look!" Iowa said on the radio as she pointed to a massive smoke cloud rising from the island before them.
Perkins looked towards the Iowa and followed her gaze.
"It looks like what used to be a Japanese torpedo boat depot. I wonder what happened." Perkins said as Kaga walked over to him.
"I didn't get the Shikikan, but I got Vice Commander Odin." Kaga said.
"Put her through." Perkins said.
"Lieutenant Perkins. This is Vice Commander Odin. I take it your trip was uneventful?" Odin asked.
"Correct. Nothing but gulls and calm seas. Where can we be of use?" Perkins asked.
"Where are you currently?" Odin asked.
"We just entered the southern part of the island chain." Perkins reported.
"Are you on the Iowa or are you with Kaga?" Odin asked.
"I am currently on the Kaga, why?" Perkins asked.
"Please transfer to the Iowa and head for Manila. Have Kaga report to the bay and assist with fighter coverage. With Shinano out of the fight for the moment, we need more cover to continue pushing forward." Odin ordered.
"Understood. It will be done immediately." Perkins said as he cut the line and turned to Kaga.
"My love, could you transfer me to Iowa's vessel? I have been ordered to join her up to the north." Perkins said.
Kaga rolled her eyes.
"Fine. But you and her better not get yourselves killed. Yamato is not to be trifled with. She has monster guns and legendary armor. Even if you aren't fighting the Kansen herself, the ship alone, crewed by humans, is enough to take down a small navy. Please be careful." Kaga said as she gave Perkins a small peck on the cheek before activating her rigging.
One quick trip across the water, and Perkins was stood up on the deck of the Iowa.
"So what are our orders?" Kaga and Iowa asked.
"Kaga, you are to head to the bay off Cebu and assist with your fighters. With Shinano being used up north, their fighter coverage is diminished below what the admiral would like. So you will assist in the ground invasion." Perkins spoke, earning a nod from Kaga as she leapt back to the waves and pulled ahead of the Iowa, making a slight turn towards the bay.
"What about me, honey?" Iowa asked, her pale face catching the sun of the pacific.
"You and I are going to show the Admiral how powerful you really are. Yamato is up to the north, that's where we are headed." Perkins said.
"I finally get to fight?!" Iowa asked excitedly.
"Yep. The Admiral believes you to be a trump card in this endeavor. So let's not disappoint. I'll be right here with you, so give it your all." Perkins said as he felt the ship lurch beneath them.
"Now I want to get there even more than before!" Iowa said as her vessel moved forward, cutting the waves as she steamed past the destroyed Torpedo boat facility.
Musashi was barely able to get her shields up in time to deflect the rounds fired at her from her sister's ship.
"She really must have been taken over. They've aimed her guns at me." Musashi said as a small spark of anger rose within her.
"I will not allow them to use her as they see fit." Musashi thought to herself as she took aim with her 18.1 inch cannons. After a small delay, the six forward facing guns of the Musashi fired, aimed squarely at the rear turret of the Yamato.
"I will help you rebuild, my sister. But I will not allow these demons to sully the name of Yamato any further." Musashi said as her shells struck true, the armor piercing shells smashing through the topmost armor of the rear turret before detonating within, disabling the entire turret.
With that small success, Musashi applied full speed to the engines and rushed to close the distance between herself and her sister's ship.
"Baby sister, I have managed to disable Yamato's rear guns. If you can swing your vessels around behind her, you can approach without risking harm. Your shields will be useless against her shells if they hit you dead on. Try to keep at an angle and allow your shields to deflect, rather than stop the shells." Musashi warned.
"Musashi, this is Admiral Garner. Can you hear me?" Isaac's voice came over the radio.
"You must be the one my sister has given herself to. What can I do for you, Admiral Garner?" Musashi asked, clearly taken aback, fully expecting the first response to come from her sister.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, but further introductions will have to wait. I have Iowa coming from the south to help keep your sister busy without dealing too much damage. If you can provide us with cover, We can move behind Yamato, as you have suggested." Isaac said.
"Should be easy enough. If you come along the port side, I can cover you since that is where I am making my approach." Musashi clarified.
"Works for me. I look forward to meeting you and your sister after this is all over." Isaac said.
"And we, you." Musashi said as she cut the line. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"We're coming, sister. You'll be safe soon." Musashi said as she continued steaming ahead to block off her sister's guns.